Eligibility Period

Definition - What does Eligibility Period mean?

An eligibility period is the time frame following the eligibility date, usually 31 days, during which potential members of a group may enroll in a benefits program, e.g. health insurance, life insurance, or disability insurance, without evidence of insurability. It is also the duration of coverage during which accumulated medical expenses will be reimbursed by a medical policy.

Insuranceopedia explains Eligibility Period

In a health insurance context, a group program covers the medical expenses of multiple people, rather than just one individual. All eligible people can be insured in a group policy without the requirement to evaluate each member’s risk potential. Employers usually require new employees to complete a probationary period before they may enroll them into a health plan. This period varies between 30 to 90 days depending on the employer and employees can fully enjoy group health coverage thereafter.